I can't remember when I first started thinking about the sensation when we are just playing our instrument, going with whatever comes to mind, we are in the moment of creation, the art of music. We may be a filter, we may be a conduit, we may be a creator or a mixture of sonic vibrancy. This is where the magic happens. It is also a grand treat for the audience to witness this momentary creation of music as well as a treat for the recorded media that catches the performance for others to hear. This is why I always have the tape machine running whenever I am recording with someone for the first time. It is those early moments of total unrestricted freshness of playing together that may produce the most magical music we catch for a project. If we were able to get back into the same exact head space each time we play, like that of the first time we collaborate with another musician, we would be able to extend the magic for years to come. In those rare instances, this is the case and we as musician/performers are able to return to a clear, fresh, open minded, naive, frame of mind to just let the music flow and let our inner musician flow with the music. That is the moment, between the flows.
I remember asking a guitar teacher I had in 5th grade, "Mr. Thomas, how do you do improvisation?" He replied, "You just do it." That is indeed the way, but I didn't quite grasp the magnitude of that statement until later years. I have found that closing my eyes while I am playing is the best way to retain a certain parameter of context to get myself back into that momentary space with music performing. As well, it enables the ears to fully focus on the sound. Many times I almost go into tunnel vision when I am performing as the listening part of me is taking all the energy and it just naturally closes off my vision. It's much like being in a meditatative state of focus. The art of performing music in the moment is completely a therapeutic discipline for me and a necessary part of my life balance.